Operator Display Switching Preview

ABSTRACT

Techniques for previewing an operator display of a process section in a process plant include presenting a process section on a user interface device, where the process section includes a user control for presenting and/or displaying another process section on the process plant display. In response to receiving user input indicative of a request to display a preview of the other process section via the user control, the user interface device presents the other process section while simultaneously presenting the process section in a preview mode. The process sections in the preview mode may be presented side-by-side, above and below each other, in separate display windows, etc.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a regular filed application that is aContinuation-In-Part of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/243,176, entitled“Operator Display Switching Preview,” which was filed on Aug. 22, 2016,the entire disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated byreference herein.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure relates generally to process control systems, and, moreparticularly, to a user interface device which allows an operator topreview a portion of a process plant while simultaneously viewinganother portion of the process plant.

BACKGROUND

Distributed process control systems, like those used in chemical,petroleum or other processes, typically include one or more processcontrollers and input/output (I/O) devices communicatively coupled to atleast one host or operator interface and to one or more field devicesvia analog, digital or combined analog/digital buses, or via a wirelesscommunication link or network. The field devices, which may be, forexample, valves, valve positioners, switches, and transmitters (e.g.,temperature, pressure, level and flow rate sensors), are located withinthe process environment and generally perform physical or processcontrol functions, such as opening or closing valves, or measuringprocess parameters to control one or more processes executing within theprocess plant or system. Smart field devices, such as field devicesconforming to the well-known Fieldbus protocol may also perform controlcalculations, alarming functions, and other control functions commonlyimplemented within a controller. The process controllers, which are alsotypically located within the plant environment, receive signalsindicative of process measurements made by sensors or field devicesand/or other information pertaining to the field devices and execute acontroller application that runs, for example, different control modulesthat make process control decisions, generate control signals based onthe received information, and coordinate with the control modules orblocks being performed in the field devices, such as HART®, WirelessHART®, and FOUNDATION® Fieldbus field devices. The control modules inthe controller send the control signals over the communication lines orlinks to the field devices to thereby control the operation of at leasta portion of the process plant or system.

Information from the field devices and the controller is usually madeavailable over a data highway to one or more other hardware devices,such as operator interfaces, personal computers, or computing devices,data historians, report generators, centralized databases, or othercentralized administrative computing devices that are typically, but notalways, placed in control rooms or other locations away from the harsherplant environment. Each of these hardware devices typically, though notalways, is centralized across the process plant or across a portion ofthe process plant. These hardware devices run applications that may, forexample, enable an operator to perform functions with respect tocontrolling a process and/or operating the process plant, such aschanging settings of the process control routine, modifying theoperation of the control modules within the controllers or the fielddevices, viewing the current state of the process, viewing alarmsgenerated by field devices and controllers, simulating the operation ofthe process for the purpose of training personnel or testing the processcontrol software, keeping and updating a configuration database, etc.The data highway utilized by the hardware devices, controllers, andfield devices may include a wired communication path, a wirelesscommunication path, or a combination of wired and wireless communicationpaths.

As an example, the DeltaV™ control system, sold by Emerson ProcessManagement, includes multiple applications stored within and executed bydifferent devices located at diverse places within a process plant. Eachof these applications provides a user-interface (UI) to allow a user(e.g., a configuration engineer, an operator, a maintenance technician,etc.) to view and/or modify aspects of the process plant operation andconfiguration. Throughout this specification, the phrase “userinterface” or “UI” is used to refer to an application or screen thatallows a user to view or modify the configuration, operation, or statusof the process plant. Similarly, the phrase “user-interface device” or“UI device” is used to refer to a device on which a user interface isoperating, whether that device is stationary (e.g., a workstation,wall-mounted display, process control device display, etc.) or mobile(e.g., a laptop computer, tablet computer, smartphone, etc.). Aconfiguration application, which resides in one or more operatorworkstations or computing devices, enables users to create or changeprocess control modules and download these process control modules via adata highway to dedicated distributed controllers. Typically, thesecontrol modules are made up of communicatively interconnected functionblocks, which perform functions within the control scheme based oninputs thereto and which provide outputs to other function blocks withinthe control scheme. The configuration application may also allow aconfiguration engineer to create or change operator interfaces that areused by a viewing application to display data to an operator and toenable the operator to change settings, such as set points, within theprocess control routines. Each dedicated controller and, in some cases,one or more field devices, stores and executes a respective controllerapplication that runs the control modules assigned and downloadedthereto to implement actual process control functionality. The viewingapplications, which may be executed on one or more operator workstations(or on one or more remote computing devices in communicative connectionwith the operator workstations and the data highway), receive data fromthe controller application via the data highway and display this data toprocess control system engineers, operators, or users using the UIs, andmay provide any of a number of different views, such as an operator'sview, an engineer's view, a technician's view, etc. A data historianapplication is typically stored in and executed by a data historiandevice that collects and stores some or all of the data provided acrossthe data highway while a configuration database application may run in astill further computer attached to the data highway to store the currentprocess control routine configuration and data associated therewith.Alternatively, the configuration database may be located in the sameworkstation as the configuration application.

As noted above, operator display applications are typically implementedon a system wide basis in one or more of the workstations and providedisplays to the operator or maintenance persons regarding the operatingstate of the control system or the devices within the plant. Typically,these displays take the form of alarming displays that receive alarmsgenerated by controllers or devices within the process plant, controldisplays indicating the operating state of the controllers and otherdevices within the process plant, maintenance displays indicating theoperating state of the devices within the process plant, etc. Thesedisplays are generally configured to display, in known manners,information or data received from the process control modules or thedevices within the process plant. In some known systems, displays have agraphic associated with a physical or logical element that iscommunicatively tied to the physical or logical element to receive dataabout the physical or logical element. The graphic may be changed on thedisplay screen based on the received data to illustrate, for example,that a tank is half full, to illustrate the flow measured by a flowsensor, etc.

In some known systems, a UI depicts a process section which represents aportion of a process plant. To view other portions of the process plant,an off-sheet connector may be included on the UI which indicates aconnection to another process section that is not included on thecurrently displayed UI. When an operator selects the off-sheetconnector, the current UI may be replaced with a new UI that depicts theother process section. For example, a UI depicts a process section for acrude oil heater which includes an off-sheet connector. When theoff-sheet connector is selected, another UI is presented which depicts aprocess section for a crude oil tower.

In this manner, the UI completely changes without including overlapbetween the process sections in the displays. As a result, an operatoris required to re-orient herself each time a new UI is presented. Theoperator may need to remember the previous UI while viewing the new UIincluding the location of the process section depicted in the previousUI in relation to location of the current process section depicted inthe new UI. Accordingly, the operator may need to navigate back andforth between the UIs several times to remember the configuration and/ordata for process entities in one process section while viewing the otherprocess section.

SUMMARY

A user interface device presents a display screen having a user control,such as a search tool, navigation bar or off-sheet connector, whichallows a user to preview a process section (the “previewed processsection”) depicting a portion of a process plant, and/or the status ofthe portion of the process plant, while simultaneously observing acurrently viewed process section (the “viewed process section”)depicting another portion of the process plant. In some embodiments, thepreviewed process section is connected to the viewed process section inthe process plant. For example, the output of the viewed process sectionmay feed into the input of the previewed process section. In otherembodiments, the previewed process section is adjacent to the viewedprocess section but the process sections are not connected. In stillother embodiments, the previewed process section is an unconnected andnonadjacent process section.

In some embodiments, the search tool may provide search results of otherprocess sections, where each of the search result items includes apreview of the corresponding process section. In other embodiments, thenavigation bar provides navigation “breadcrumbs” depicting a navigationtrail of a hierarchical structure in the process plant, with previewedprocess sections corresponding to process sections within the navigationtrail and/or in a hierarchal level within the navigation trail. In yetother embodiments, selection of an off-sheet connection results in apreview of one or more status indicators for the previewed processsection corresponding to the off-sheet connector.

The user interface device may be connected to on-line processmeasurements as well as the on-line process plant entities such that thestatus (e.g., alerts, alarms, number of alerts/alarms, etc.) of thepreviewed process section may be displayed to the operator. In someembodiments, the previewed process section and/or previewed processsection status may be presented in a window overlaying the display ofthe viewed process section on the display screen and/or adjacent orproximate the user control.

The user interface device may also include a user control for switchingfrom preview mode to full view mode and selecting the process section toview in the full view mode. The full view mode may include a completedisplay of only one of the process sections. For example, the operatormay tap, double tap, tap and hold, drag, click, double click, click andhold, click and drag, etc., on the previewed process section to view thepreviewed process section in full view mode. In response to receivingthe input from the operator, the previewed process section may bedisplayed on the entire display screen without including the viewedprocess section. In another example, the operator may tap, double tap,tap and hold, click, double click, click and hold, etc., on the viewedprocess section to revert back to the full view mode for the viewedprocess section.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a block diagram of a distributed process control networklocated within a process plant including a user interface device whichdisplays a preview of a process section within a process plant to anoperator;

FIG. 1B is a block diagram of an example user interface deviceschematically illustrated in FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2A is a screen display in a full view mode depicting a processsection within a process plant and an off-sheet connector;

FIG. 2B is a screen display in a preview mode depicting a portion of theprocess section and a portion of another process section;

FIG. 2C is the screen display illustrated in FIG. 2B which includes auser control for switching from the preview mode to the full view mode;

FIG. 2D is a screen display in a full view mode depicting the otherprocess section from the preview mode illustrated in FIG. 2B in responseto receiving input from the operator to switch from the preview mode tothe full view mode;

FIG. 3 is a screen display in a preview mode depicting the processsection and a window overlaying the process section and including theother process section;

FIG. 4 is a screen display in a full view mode depicting the processsection and user controls for viewing and/or previewing adjacent processsections in the process plant;

FIG. 5 is a partial screen display depicting a search display and searchresults including other process sections in the search results which maybe presented in a window overlaying the process section;

FIG. 6 is a screen display in a preview mode depicting the processsection and a window overlaying the process section and including otherprocess sections in a navigation trail of a hierarchy of the processsection in relation to a hierarchical structure of the process controlplant;

FIG. 7 is a screen display in a preview mode depicting the processsection and a window overlaying the process section and including astatus summary of the other process section; and

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram representing an exemplary method for previewingprocess sections in a process plant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1A is a block diagram of an exemplary process control network 100operating in a process control system or process plant 10. The processcontrol network 100 may include a network backbone 105 providingconnectivity directly or indirectly between a variety of other devices.The devices coupled to the network backbone 105 include, in variousembodiments, combinations of access points 72, gateways 75 to otherprocess plants (e.g., via an intranet or corporate wide area network),gateways 78 to external systems (e.g., to the Internet), UI devices 112which may be stationary (e.g., a traditional operator workstation) ormobile computing devices (e.g., a mobile device smart-phone), servers150, controllers 11, input/output (I/O) cards 26 and 28, wired fielddevices 15-22, wireless gateways 35, and wireless communication networks70. The communication networks 70 may include wireless devices 40-58,which include wireless field devices 40-46, wireless adapters 52 a and52 b, access points 55 a and 55 b, and a router 58. The wirelessadapters 52 a and 52 b may be connected to non-wireless field devices 48and 50, respectively. The controller 11 may include a processor 30, amemory 32, and one or more control routines 38. Though FIG. 1A depictsonly a single one of some of the devices connected to the networkbackbone 105, it will be understood that each of the devices could havemultiple instances on the network backbone 105 and, in fact, that theprocess plant 10 may include multiple network backbones 105.

The UI devices 112 may be communicatively connected to the controller 11and the wireless gateway 35 via the network backbone 105. The controller11 may be communicatively connected to wired field devices 15-22 viainput/output (I/O) cards 26 and 28 and may be communicatively connectedto wireless field devices 40-46 via the network backbone 105 and awireless gateway 35. The controller 11 may operate to implement a batchprocess or a continuous process using at least some of the field devices15-22 and 40-46. The controller 11, which may be, by way of example, theDeltaV™ controller sold by Emerson Process Management, iscommunicatively connected to the process control network backbone 105.The controller 11 may be also communicatively connected to the fielddevices 15-22 and 40-46 using any desired hardware and softwareassociated with, for example, standard 4-20 mA devices, I/O cards 26,28, and/or any smart communication protocol such as the FOUNDATION®Fieldbus protocol, the HART® protocol, the Wireless HART® protocol, etc.In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1A, the controller 11, the fielddevices 15-22 and the I/O cards 26, 28 are wired devices, and the fielddevices 40-46 are wireless field devices.

In operation of the UI device 112, the UI device 112 may, in someembodiments, execute a user interface (“UI”), allowing the UI device 112to accept input via an input interface and provide output at a display.The UI device 112 may receive data (e.g., process related data such asprocess parameters, log data, sensor data, and/or any other data thatmay be captured and stored), from the server 150. In other embodiments,the UI may be executed, in whole or in part, at the server 150, wherethe server 150 may transmit display data to the UI device 112. The UIdevice 112 may receive UI data (which may include display data andprocess parameter data) via the backbone 105 from other nodes in theprocess control network 100, such as the controller 11, the wirelessgateway 35, or the server 150. Based on the UI data received at the UIdevice 112, the UI device 112 provides output (i.e., visualrepresentations or graphics) representing aspects of the processassociated with the process control network 100, allowing the user tomonitor the process. The user may also affect control of the process byproviding input at the UI device 112. To illustrate, the UI device 112may provide graphics representing, for example, a tank filling process.In such a scenario, the user may read a tank level measurement anddecide that the tank needs to be filled. The user may interact with aninlet valve graphic displayed at the UI device 112 and input a commandcausing the inlet valve to open.

In certain embodiments, the UI device 112 may implement any type ofclient, such as a thin client, web client, or thick client. For example,the UI device 112 may depend on other nodes, computers, UI devices, orservers for the bulk of the processing necessary for operation of the UIdevice 112, as might be the case if the UI device is limited in memory,battery power, etc. (e.g., in a wearable device). In such an example,the UI device 112 may communicate with the server 150 or with another UIdevice, where the server 150 or other UI device may communicate with oneor more other nodes (e.g., servers) on the process control network 100and may determine the display data and/or process data to transmit tothe UI device 112. Furthermore, the UI device 112 may pass any datarelated to received user input to the server 150 so that the server 150may process the data related to user input and operate accordingly. Inother words, the UI device 112 may do little more than render graphicsand act as a portal to one or more nodes or servers that store the dataand execute the routines necessary for operation of the UI device 112. Athin client UI device offers the advantage of minimal hardwarerequirements for the UI device 112.

In other embodiments, the UI device 112 may be a web client. In such anembodiment, a user of the UI device 112 may interact with the processcontrol system via a browser at the UI device 112. The browser enablesthe user to access data and resources at another node or server 150(such as the server 150) via the backbone 105. For example, the browsermay receive UI data, such as display data or process parameter data,from the server 150, allowing the browser to depict graphics forcontrolling and/or monitoring some or all of the process. The browsermay also receive user input (such as a mouse click on a graphic). Theuser input may cause the browser to retrieve or access an informationresource stored on the server 150. For example, the mouse click maycause the browser to retrieve (from the server 150) and displayinformation pertaining to the clicked graphic.

In yet other embodiments, the bulk of the processing for the UI device112 may take place at the UI device 112. For example, the UI device 112may execute the previously discussed UI. The UI device 112 may alsostore, access, and analyze data locally.

In operation, a user may interact with the UI device 112 to monitor orcontrol one or more devices in the process control network 100, such asany of the field devices 15-22 or the devices 40-48. The user mayinteract with the UI device 112, for example, to modify or change aparameter associated with a control routine stored in the controller 11.The processor 30 of the controller 11 implements or oversees one or moreprocess control routines (stored in a memory 32), which may includecontrol loops. The processor 30 may communicate with the field devices15-22 and 40-46 and with other nodes that are communicatively connectedto the backbone 105. It should be noted that any control routines ormodules (including quality prediction and fault detection modules orfunction blocks) described herein may have parts thereof implemented orexecuted by different controllers or other devices if so desired.Likewise, the control routines or modules described herein which are tobe implemented within the process control system may take any form,including software, firmware, hardware, etc. Control routines may beimplemented in any desired software format, such as using objectoriented programming, ladder logic, sequential function charts, functionblock diagrams, or using any other software programming language ordesign paradigm. In particular, the control routines may be implementedby a user through the UI device 112. The control routines may be storedin any desired type of memory, such as random access memory (RAM), orread only memory (ROM) Likewise, the control routines may be hard-codedinto, for example, one or more EPROMs, EEPROMs, application specificintegrated circuits (ASICs), or any other hardware or firmware elements.Thus, the controller 11 may be configured (by a user using a UI device112 in certain embodiments) to implement a control strategy or controlroutine in any desired manner.

In some embodiments of the UI device 112, a user may interact with theUI device 112 to implement a control strategy at the controller 11 usingwhat are commonly referred to as function blocks, wherein each functionblock is an object or other part (e.g., a subroutine) of an overallcontrol routine and operates in conjunction with other function blocks(via communications called links) to implement process control loopswithin the process control system. Control based function blockstypically perform one of an input function, such as that associated witha transmitter, a sensor or other process parameter measurement device; acontrol function, such as that associated with a control routine thatperforms PID, fuzzy logic, etc. control; or an output function whichcontrols the operation of some device, such as a valve, to perform somephysical function within the process control system. Of course, hybridand other types of function blocks exist. The function blocks may havegraphical representations that are provided at the UI device 112,allowing a user to easily modify the types of function blocks, theconnections between the function blocks, and the inputs/outputsassociated with each of function blocks implemented in the processcontrol system. Function blocks may be stored in and executed by thecontroller 11, which is typically the case when these function blocksare used for, or are associated with standard 4-20 mA devices and sometypes of smart field devices such as HART devices, or may be stored inand implemented by the field devices themselves, which can be the casewith Fieldbus devices. The controller 11 may include one or more controlroutines 38 that may implement one or more control loops. Each controlloop is typically referred to as a control module, and may be performedby executing one or more of the function blocks.

Referring still to FIG. 1A, the wireless field devices 40-46 communicatein a wireless network 70 using a wireless protocol, such as the WirelessHART protocol. In certain embodiments, the UI device 112 may be capableof communicating with the wireless field devices 40-46 using thewireless network 70. Such wireless field devices 40-46 may directlycommunicate with one or more other nodes of the process control network100 that are also configured to communicate wirelessly (using thewireless protocol, for example). To communicate with one or more othernodes that are not configured to communicate wirelessly, the wirelessfield devices 40-46 may utilize a wireless gateway 35 connected to thebackbone 105. Of course, the field devices 15-22 and 40-46 could conformto any other desired standard(s) or protocols, such as any wired orwireless protocols, including any standards or protocols developed inthe future.

The wireless gateway 35 is an example of a provider device that mayprovide access to various wireless devices 40-58 of a wirelesscommunication network 70. In particular, the wireless gateway 35provides communicative coupling between the wireless devices 40-58 andother nodes of the process control network 100 (including the controller11 of FIG. 1A). The wireless gateway 35 provides communicative coupling,in some cases, by the routing, buffering, and timing services to lowerlayers of the wired and wireless protocol stacks (e.g., addressconversion, routing, packet segmentation, prioritization, etc.) whiletunneling a shared layer or layers of the wired and wireless protocolstacks. In other cases, the wireless gateway 35 may translate commandsbetween wired and wireless protocols that do not share any protocollayers.

Similar to the wired field devices 15-22, the wireless field devices40-46 of the wireless network 70 may perform physical control functionswithin the process plant 10, e.g., opening or closing valves or takemeasurements of process parameters. The wireless field devices 40-46,however, are configured to communicate using the wireless protocol ofthe network 70. As such, the wireless field devices 40-46, the wirelessgateway, and other wireless nodes 52-58 of the wireless network 70 areproducers and consumers of wireless communication packets.

In some scenarios, the wireless network 70 may include non-wirelessdevices. For example, a field device 48 of FIG. 1A may be a legacy 4-20mA device and a field device 50 may be a traditional wired HART device.To communicate within the network 70, the field devices 48 and 50 may beconnected to the wireless communication network 70 via a wirelessadaptor (WA) 52 a or 52 b. Additionally, the wireless adaptors 52 a, 52b may support other communication protocols such as Foundation®Fieldbus, PROFIBUS, DeviceNet, etc. Furthermore, the wireless network 70may include one or more network access points 55 a, 55 b, which may beseparate physical devices in wired communication with the wirelessgateway 35 or may be provided with the wireless gateway 35 as anintegral device. The wireless network 70 may also include one or morerouters 58 to forward packets from one wireless device to anotherwireless device within the wireless communication network 70. Thewireless devices 32-46 and 52-58 may communicate with each other andwith the wireless gateway 35 over wireless links 60 of the wirelesscommunication network 70.

In certain embodiments, the process control network 100 may includeother nodes connected to the network backbone 105 that communicate usingother wireless protocols. For example, the process control network 100may include one or more wireless access points 72 that utilize otherwireless protocols, such as WiFi or other IEEE 802.11 compliant wirelesslocal area network protocols, mobile communication protocols such asWiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access), LTE (Long TermEvolution) or other ITU-R (International Telecommunication UnionRadiocommunication Sector) compatible protocols, short-wavelength radiocommunications such as near field communications (NFC) and Bluetooth, orother wireless communication protocols. Typically, such wireless accesspoints 72 allow handheld or other portable computing devices tocommunicate over a respective wireless network that is different fromthe wireless network 70 and that supports a different wireless protocolthan the wireless network 70. In some embodiments, the UI device 112communicates over the process control network 100 using a wirelessaccess point 72. In some scenarios, in addition to portable computingdevices, one or more process control devices (e.g., controller 11, fielddevices 15-22, or wireless devices 35, 40-58) may also communicate usingthe wireless network supported by the access points 72.

Additionally or alternatively, the provider devices may include one ormore gateways 75, 78 to systems that are external to the immediateprocess control system. In such embodiments, the UI device 112 may beused to control, monitor, or otherwise communicate with said externalsystems. Typically, such systems are customers or suppliers ofinformation generated or operated on by the process control system. Forexample, a plant gateway node 75 may communicatively connect theimmediate process plant 10 (having its own respective process controldata network backbone 105) with another process plant having its ownrespective network backbone. In an embodiment, a single network backbone105 may service multiple process plants or process control environments.

In another example, the plant gateway node 75 may communicativelyconnect the immediate process plant to a legacy or prior art processplant that does not include a process control network 100 or backbone105. In this example, the plant gateway node 75 may convert or translatemessages between a protocol utilized by the process control big databackbone 105 of the plant 10 and a different protocol utilized by thelegacy system (e.g., Ethernet, Profibus, Fieldbus, DeviceNet, etc.). Insuch an example, the UI device 112 may be used to control, monitor, orotherwise communicate with systems or networks in said legacy or priorart process plant.

The provider devices may include one or more external system gatewaynodes 78 to communicatively connect the process control network 100 withthe network of an external public or private system, such as alaboratory system (e.g., Laboratory Information Management System orLIMS), a personnel rounds database, a materials handling system, amaintenance management system, a product inventory control system, aproduction scheduling system, a weather data system, a shipping andhandling system, a packaging system, the Internet, another provider'sprocess control system, or other external systems. The external systemgateway nodes 78 may, for example, facilitate communication between theprocess control system and personnel outside of the process plant (e.g.,personnel at home).

Although FIG. 1A illustrates a single controller 11 with a finite numberof field devices 15-22 and 40-46, this is only an illustrative and anon-limiting embodiment. Any number of controllers 11 may be included inthe provider devices of the process control network 100, and any of thecontrollers 11 may communicate with any number of wired or wirelessfield devices 15-22, 40-46 to control a process in the plant 10.Furthermore, the process plant 10 may also include any number ofwireless gateways 35, routers 58, access points 55, wireless processcontrol communication networks 70, access points 72, and/or gateways 75,78.

FIG. 1B illustrates a block diagram of an example UI device 112. The UIdevice 112 may be a desktop computer such as a traditional operatorworkstation, a control room display, or a mobile computing device suchas a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a mobile device smart-phone, apersonal digital assistant (PDA), a wearable computing device, or anyother suitable client computing device. The UI device 112 may include adisplay 84. Further, the UI device 112 includes one or more processorsor CPUs 88, a memory 52, a random-access memory (RAM) 90, aninput/output (I/O) circuit 92, and a communication unit 58 to transmitand receive data via a local area network, wide area network, or anyother suitable network. The UI device 112 may communicate with thecontrollers 11, the server 150 and/or any other suitable computingdevice.

The memory 52 may include an operating system 78, and a control unit 44for controlling the display 84 and communicating with the controllers 11to control on-line operation of the process plant. In some embodiments,the server 150 may transmit a graphic representation of a portion of theprocess plant to the UI device 112 and in turn, the control unit 44 maycause the graphic representation of the portion of the process plant tobe presented on the display 84. Additionally, the control unit 44 mayobtain user input from the I/O circuit 92, such as user input from theoperator (also referred to herein as a user) and translate the userinput into a request to display a preview of a process section that isnot currently being displayed, a request to display a full view of aprocess section that is not currently being displayed, a request toswitch from a preview mode to a full view mode and to display one of theprocess sections in the full view mode, a request to display anadjustment to a process parameter included in one of the processsections, etc.

In some embodiments, the control unit 44 may communicate the translateduser input to the server 150 which may generate and transmit therequested UI to the UI device 112 for display. In other embodiments, thecontrol unit 44 may generate the new UI based on the translated userinput and present the new UI on the display 84 of the UI device 112.When the translated user input is a request to display an adjustment toa process parameter included in one of the process sections, the controlunit 44 may determine whether the process parameter is locked. If theprocess parameter is locked, the control unit 44 may not adjust theprocess parameter and may present a message indicating that the processparameter is locked and cannot be adjusted on the display 84 of UIdevice 112. If the process parameter is not locked, the control unit 44may adjust the process parameter value on the display 84 in accordancewith the user input from the operator and may provide instructions tothe controllers 11 to adjust the process parameter in the process plant.In other embodiments, the control unit 44 may communicate the translateduser input to the server 150 which may generate and transmit theadjusted process parameter value to the UI device 112 for display, andprovide instructions to the controllers 11 to adjust the processparameter in the process plant.

FIG. 2A illustrates an example screen display 200 in a full view modedepicting a crude oil heater process section 202 within a process plant10 and an off-sheet connector 204. In some embodiments, the screendisplay 200 may be presented on the display 84 of the UI device 112. Thecrude oil heater process section 202 may include graphic representationsof process plant entities, connections between the process plantentities, process parameter values, and alarms.

As illustrated in FIG. 2A, the crude oil heater process section 202includes graphical representations of several process plant entities:two tanks 210, 214, four pumps 212, 216, 226, 230, nine valves 218, 222,228, 232, 236, 240, 242, 244, 248, four heat exchangers 220, 224, 234,238 and a hot crude oil output 250. Moreover, the screen display 200 mayinclude process parameter values and alarms associated with thedifferent process plant entities, such as a tank level value 210 aassociated with the tank 210, a pump speed 212 a associated with thepump 212, and a valve opening percentage 218 a associated with the valve218. Set point values may also be displayed along with the processparameter values on the screen display 200. In some embodiments, theoperator may adjust the process parameter values and more specifically,the set point values via touch gestures if the display 84 is a touchscreen or via mouse clicks.

For example, an operator may tap or click on a graphic representation ofa process plant entity and as a result, the screen display 200 maypresent a faceplate for allowing the operator to adjust a processparameter value for the process plant entity using a slider bar, agraphic representation of a dial, etc. In another example, the operatormay perform various touch gestures or mouse clicks on the graphicrepresentation of the process plant entity to adjust a process parametervalue for the process plant entity. More specifically, the operator mayperform a drag gesture or a click and drag to adjust a tank level valuefor a tank or a temperature setting for a heat exchanger, may perform arotate gesture to adjust the speed of a pump, may perform pinch andspread gestures to adjust the valve opening percentage of a valve, etc.While these are merely example gestures and/or mouse clicks which may beused to adjust process parameter values, any suitable gestures or mouseclicks may be used to adjust process parameter values for any suitableprocess plant entity within the process plant. In yet another example,the operator may type in a new process parameter value via a hardware orsoftware keyboard. The operator may click or tap on the graphicrepresentation of the process plant entity to pull up a dialog box whichallows the operator to type in the new process parameter value.

In any event, when the process parameter values reflect actualmeasurements (“live data”) within the on-line process plant 10, thecontrol module 44 may provide instructions to the controller 11 toadjust a process parameter in the on-line process plant to the set pointvalue. On the other hand, when the process parameter values aresimulated values, the control module 44 may present the adjusted processparameter values on the screen display 200.

The off-sheet connector 204 is connected to the hot crude oil output 250and includes an indication of a connection to a tower top processsection. In some embodiments, the off-sheet connector 204 may receiveuser input from the operator and based on the user input, the UI device112 may display the tower top process section in a full view mode or apreview mode along with the crude oil heater process section. Forexample, if a user input is received at the off-sheet connector 204,such as a double tap, a double click of a mouse, a tap and hold, a clickand hold, etc., the UI device 112 may display the tower top processsection in a full view mode, as described in more detail in FIG. 2D. Ifan alternate user input is received at the off-sheet connector 204, suchas a tap, a single click, a slide, a click and drag, a mouse hover,etc., the UI device 112 may display the tower top process section in apreview mode, as described in more detail in FIGS. 2B, 2C, and 3. Whilethese are merely example inputs which may be used to view a processsection in the preview or full view modes, any suitable gesture or mousemovement may be provided as user input.

When the operator provides the alternate user input indicating a requestto view the tower top process section in a preview mode, the UI device112 may display the crude oil heater process section 202 or a portionthereof, the tower top process section or a portion thereof, and anintersection between the crude oil heater and tower top processsections. In some embodiments, the process sections may be displayedside-by-side, above and below each other, or in any other suitablemanner. Also in some embodiments, the position of the process sectionson the display may be based on the direction that the previewed processsection goes off the page. For example, if the previewed process sectionis located to the right or left of the currently viewed process sectionon the screen display 200 (or a larger screen display which includesboth process sections), the process sections may be displayedside-by-side in the preview mode. If the previewed process section islocated above or below the currently viewed process section on thescreen display 200 (or a larger screen display which includes bothprocess sections), the process sections may be displayed above and beloweach other in the preview mode.

FIG. 2B depicts an example screen display 260 in a preview modedepicting a portion 202 of a viewed process section (the crude oilheater process section of FIG. 2A) and a portion 262 of a previewedprocess section (the tower top process section). In some embodiments,the previewed process section may be an upstream or downstream processsection to the process section currently being viewed (the “viewedprocess section”). A downstream process section may be a process sectionconnected to another process section having an input which is the outputof the other process section. An upstream process section may be aprocess section connected to another process section having an outputwhich is the input of the other process section. For example, the towertop process section 262 may be a downstream process section to the crudeoil heater process section 202, because the hot crude oil output of thecrude oil heater process section 202 is an input to the tower topprocess section 262. The off-sheet connector 204 may represent aconnection between the hot crude oil output 250 in the crude oil heaterprocess section 202 and the tower top process section 262. In otherembodiments, the previewed process section may be adjacent to the viewedprocess section within the process plant 10, but the process sectionsmay not share a connection.

The screen display 260 further includes an intersection 264 between theviewed process section 202 and the previewed process section 262. Theintersection 264 may be a dividing line between the process sections202, 262 or may be any other suitable boundary separating the processsections 202, 262. As shown in FIG. 2B, to fit both process sections202, 262 within the screen display 260, a portion of each of the processsections 202, 262 may be included. For example, graphic representationsof the process plant entities closest to the intersection for both theviewed and previewed process sections 202, 262 may be included, whereasthe graphic representations for the rest of the process plant entitiesmay be removed. More specifically, to fit both process sections 202, 262in the screen display 260, the screen size for each process section 202,262 may be reduced by half. Accordingly, the half of each of the processsections 202, 262 farthest from the intersection 262 may be removed(e.g., the left half of the viewed process section 202) and the half ofeach of the process sections 202, 262 closest to the intersection mayremain intact. Additionally or alternatively, the screen size for eachprocess section 202, 262 may be reduced by two-thirds, three-quarters,four-fifths, or by any suitable amount.

In some embodiments, the operator may perform a slide gesture if thedisplay 84 is a touch screen or click and drag a mouse beginning at thelocation of the off-sheet connector 204 as shown in FIG. 2A or at anyother suitable location on the display 84 to request the preview mode.Once the screen display 260 is presented on the UI device 112, theoperator may continue to slide or click and drag to adjust the size theamount of screen space for each of the process sections 202, 262. Forexample, as the operator slides or clicks and drags to the left, theportion of the previewed process section 262 may increase while theportion of the viewed process section 202 may decrease.

For example, turning to FIG. 2C, another screen display 280 isillustrated where the previewed process section 262 takes up a largeramount of the screen display 280 than the viewed process section 202,while the viewed process section 202 takes up a larger amount of thescreen display 260 than the previewed process section 262 in FIG. 2B.The difference between the two screen displays 260, 280 may be as aresult of the operator sliding or clicking and dragging to the left. Inanother example, as the operator slides or clicks and drags to theright, the portion of the viewed process section 202 may increase whilethe portion of the previewed process section 262 may decrease. In otherscenarios, the previewed process section 262 may be located to the leftof the viewed process section 202, the process sections 202, 262 may beabove and beneath each other on the screen display 260 so that theamount of screen space for the process sections 202, 262increases/decreases as the operator slides or clicks and drags up anddown, or may be organized in any other suitable manner. Accordingly,these examples are merely for ease of illustration only and the amountof screen space for each of the process sections 202, 262 may beadjusted in any suitable manner in proportion to the amount the operatorslides or clicks and drags.

As mentioned above, each of the process sections 202, 262 may includeprocess parameter values which may be adjusted by the operator, such asa tank level value, a pump speed, a valve opening percentage, atemperature, etc. Accordingly, the screen display 260 may include livedata reflecting actual measurements within the on-line process plant 10for both the viewed process section 202 and the previewed processsection 262.

When the user interface device 112 presents a UI in the preview modesuch as the screen display 260, the screen display 260 may be lockedsuch that the operator may not adjust process parameter values for theviewed process section 202 or the previewed process section 262. Inother embodiments, process parameters for the previewed process section262 may be locked while process parameters for the viewed processsection 202 are not locked. In this manner, the operator may adjustprocess parameters for the viewed process section 202 while looking atthe configuration and/or process parameters for the previewed processsection 262. In yet other embodiments, process parameters may not belocked for either of the process sections 202, 262, or processparameters for the viewed process section 202 may be locked whileprocess parameters for the previewed process section 262 may not belocked. In this manner, the operator may adjust process parameterswithin the previewed process section 262 without fully navigating to anew display. Then after a process parameter within the previewed processsection 262 is adjusted, the operator may provide user input causing theviewed process section 202 to return to the full view mode, as describedin more detail below with reference to FIGS. 2C and 2D.

While the screen display 260 for the preview mode depicts portions ofthe viewed process section 202 and the previewed process section 262 tofit both process sections 202, 262, this is merely one exemplaryembodiment. In another embodiment, both the viewed process section 202and the previewed process section 262 may be scaled down to fit withinthe screen display 260. For example, graphic representations of theprocess plant entities for the viewed and previewed process sections ina preview mode may be half the size of the graphic representations ofthe process plant entities in a full view mode. In some embodiments,process plant entities may be scaled down to fit within the screendisplay while process parameters, alarms, etc., may not be scaled downso that the process parameters, alarms, etc., are viewable for theoperator.

Also in some embodiments, the process parameters, alarms, etc., may beprioritized. For example, the server 150 may rank and/or assign prioritylevels to each of the process parameters, alarms, etc., on the screendisplay 260 according to importance to an operator, risk of a dangerouscondition, or any other suitable metric. In another example, theoperator may rank and/or assign priority levels to each of the processparameters, alarms, etc., on the screen display 260. In yet anotherexample, the server 150 may obtain priority levels entered by severaloperators and use the obtained priority levels to rank and/or assignpriority levels to each of the process parameters, alarms, etc., on thescreen display 260. Additionally, each process parameter, alarm, etc.,on the screen display 260 may be assigned a default ranking and/orpriority level. In any event, the process parameters, alarms, etc.,which are ranked above a threshold ranking and/or priority level (e.g.,three) may not be scaled down, whereas the rest of the processparameters, alarms, etc., on the screen display 260 may be scaled down.In another embodiment, the screen display 260 for the preview mode maydepict a portion of the viewed process section 202 and a scaled downversion of the previewed process section 262 or vice versa.

While the screen display 260 in the preview mode includes two processsections, a viewed process section and a previewed process section, thepreview mode may include any suitable number of process sections. Forexample, the operator may preview both the upstream and downstreamprocess sections which may be displayed on both sides or above and belowthe viewed process section in the preview mode. In another example, theoperator may preview all of the surrounding process sections whichneighbor the viewed process section in the preview mode. This mayinclude two, three, four, five, six, or any suitable number of processsections.

When the operator is in the preview mode, she may want to switch back tothe full view mode to view a full display of the viewed process section202 or the previewed process section 262. FIG. 2C illustrates anotherscreen display 280 in the preview mode similar to the screen display 260in FIG. 2B and including a user control 282 for switching from thepreview mode to the full view mode. As in FIG. 2B, the screen display280 includes a portion of a viewed process section 202, a portion of apreviewed process section 262, and an intersection 264 between theviewed process section 202 and the previewed process section 262.

In some embodiments, the operator may use the user control 282 bycontrolling a mouse or if the display 84 of UI device 112 is a touchscreen, by performing gestures. If the display 84 of UI device 112 is atouch screen, the user control 282 may not be visible on the displayscreen 280. In any event, the operator may select one of the processsections 202, 262 to display in the full view mode by tapping, clicking,double tapping, double clicking, etc., on the portion of the displayscreen 280 which corresponds to the desired process section for displayin the full view mode. For example, if the operator wants to display thepreviewed process section 262 in the full view mode, the operator maydouble tap or double click on the right side of the screen display 280.

In some embodiments, the operator may select one of the process sections202, 262 as an intermediate step before a process section is displayedin the full view mode. The selected process section may become theprimary process section, and as a result, process parameters for theselected process section may be adjustable while process parameters forunselected process sections may be locked.

For example, the operator may click, tap, or hover over the portion ofthe display screen 280 which corresponds to the selected processsection. The screen display 280 may present an indication of theselected process section, for example by placing a bounded box ordarkening the borders 284 around the selected process section. Theoperator may then click or tap a second time to confirm that theselected process section is the process section to display in the fullview mode.

A selection of one of the process sections 202, 262 may also provideadditional adjustments to the settings of the screen display 280. Forexample, the selected process section may be assigned a priority levelthat is higher than the priority level assigned to the unselectedprocess sections. In this manner, the selected process section maybecome the primary process section.

In an example scenario, at first neither of the process sections 202,262 on the screen display 280 is selected. As a result, processparameters for both process sections 202, 262 are locked and theoperator cannot make any adjustments to the screen display 280 whichincludes live data for both the viewed process section 202 and thepreviewed process section 262. When the operator selects the viewedprocess section 202 by clicking, tapping, or hovering over the viewedprocess section 202, process parameters for the viewed process section202 may become adjustable. Then, when the operator selects the previewedprocess section 262 by clicking, tapping, or hovering over the previewedprocess section 262, process parameters for the previewed processsection 262 may become adjustable while the process parameter for theviewed process section 202 may be locked. When the operator clicks ortaps again on the previewed process section 262, the previewed processsection 262 may be displayed in a full view mode and the viewed processsection 202 may be removed from the display.

FIG. 2D illustrates an example screen display 290 in a full view modedepicting the tower top process section 262. The screen display 290 maybe presented on the UI device 112 in response to the operator doubleclicking, double tapping, or selecting and then clicking or tappingagain on the previewed process section 262 as shown in FIG. 2C. Asillustrated, the full view mode in the screen display 290 includes theentire tower top process section 262 rather than a portion or a scaleddown version of the tower top process section 262, as described above.In some embodiments, the screen display 290 may include an off-sheetconnector or other user control (not shown) for selecting anotherprocess section in the process plant 10 to display in the preview orfull view modes.

In addition to displaying process sections side-by-side or above andbelow each other in the preview mode, a previewed process section may bedisplayed in a window overlaying the viewed process section. In someembodiments, the viewed process section may be displayed in a windowencompassing the screen display. The previewed process section may bedisplayed in another window overlaying the viewed process section, wherethe other window is smaller than the window encompassing the screendisplay. For example, the other window may be half the size of thewindow encompassing the screen display, one quarter of the size of thewindow encompassing the screen display, etc.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example screen display 300 in a preview modedepicting a viewed process section 302 and a window 310 overlaying theviewed process section 302 and including a previewed process section 304which presents live data from the process plant 10. The viewed andpreviewed process sections 302, 304 may be the viewed and previewedprocess sections 202, 262 presented in FIGS. 2A-2D or may be any otherprocess sections. In some embodiments, the UI device 112 and morespecifically the control unit 44 may select an empty portion of screendisplay 300 for placing the window 310 so as not to obscure any processplant entities, process parameters, alarms, off-sheet connectors, etc.,on the viewed process section 302.

For example, the control unit 44 may determine the size of the area forthe window 310. Then the control unit 44 may locate an area on thescreen display 300 which meets the size requirements for the window 310and does not include any process plant entities, process parameters,alarms, off-sheet connectors, etc. If the screen display 300 does notinclude empty space which meets the size requirements for the window310, the control unit 44 may scale down the viewed process section 302until there is enough empty space to place the window 310. In anotherexample, process plant entities, process parameters, alarms, off-sheetconnectors, etc., for the viewed process section 302 may be prioritizedin a similar manner as described above. The window 310 may be placedover the process plant entities, process parameters, alarms, off-sheetconnectors, etc., which are ranked below a threshold ranking obscuringthose objects. In other embodiments, the server 150 may identify alocation for placing the window 310 within the screen display 300.

In any event, the control unit 44 may present the previewed processsection 304 within the window 310. In some embodiments, a portion of thepreviewed process section 304 may be displayed to fit within the window310. In other embodiments, the previewed process section 304 may bescaled down to fit within the window. For example, the previewed processsection 304 may be scaled down according to the ratio between the sizeof the window 310 and the size of the screen display 300. Morespecifically, if the window 310 is one-sixth the size of the screendisplay 300, the previewed process section 304 may be scaled down byfive-sixths.

In yet other embodiments, process plant entities, process parameters,alarms, off-sheet connectors, etc., for the previewed process section304 may be prioritized in a similar manner as described above. Theprocess plant entities, process parameters, alarms, off-sheetconnectors, etc., which are ranked above a threshold ranking may not bescaled down whereas the rest of the process plant entities, processparameters, alarms, off-sheet connectors, etc., may be scaled down. Inanother example, only the process plant entities, process parameters,alarms, off-sheet connectors, etc., which are ranked above a thresholdranking and/or priority level may be included in the window 310. Thethreshold ranking and/or priority level may be determined in accordancewith the size of the window 310. As the size of the window 310 increasesmore process plant entities, process parameters, alarms, off-sheetconnectors, etc., may fit within the window 310, and as a result thethreshold ranking and/or priority level may be lower.

While the screen display 300 includes one window 310 which displays onepreviewed process section 304, this is merely for ease of illustrationonly. Any number of windows 310 may display any number of previewedprocess sections. For example, the screen display 300 may include twowindows which display previews for the upstream and downstream processsections to the viewed process section 302. In another example, thescreen display 300 may include four windows which display previews foreach adjacent process section to the viewed process section 302 withinthe process plant 10.

As mentioned above, an operator may select an off-sheet connector for aprocess section in the full view mode to view an upstream or downstreamprocess section with the viewed process section in the preview mode. Inaddition to previewing upstream and downstream process sections to theviewed process section, the operator may preview adjacent processsections. FIG. 4 illustrates an example screen display 400 in a fullview mode depicting a process section 402 and user controls 404-410which, when selected, may cause the UI device 112 to present an adjacentprocess section corresponding to an adjacent portion of the processplant 10 in a full view mode or a preview mode.

For example, if a user input is received at one of the user controls404-410, such as a double tap, a double click of a mouse, a tap andhold, a click and hold, etc., the UI device 112 may display an adjacentprocess section in a full view mode. If an alternate user input isreceived at one of the user controls 404-410, such as a tap, a singleclick, a slide, a click and drag, a mouse hover, etc., the UI device 112may display an adjacent process section in a preview mode, as describedabove in FIGS. 2B, 2C, and 3.

More specifically, the UI device 112 may select one of the adjacentprocess sections to the viewed process section 402 for display based onthe orientation and/or position of the selected user control 404-410. Ifthe selected user control points to the left, the UI device 112 maydisplay the adjacent process section to the left of the viewed processsection 402. Also, if the selected user control is located in the leftportion of the viewed process section 402, the UI device 112 may displaythe adjacent process section to the left of the viewed process section402.

For example, if the user input is received at user control 404, the UIdevice 112 may display the process section neighboring the viewedprocess section 402 from above in the full view mode. If the alternateuser input is received at user control 404, the UI device 112 maydisplay the process section neighboring the viewed process section 402from above in the preview mode.

Additionally, if the user input is received at user control 406, the UIdevice 112 may display the process section neighboring the viewedprocess section 402 to the right in the full view mode. If the alternateuser input is received at user control 406, the UI device 112 maydisplay the process section neighboring the viewed process section 402to the right in the preview mode.

Further, if the user input is received at user control 408, the UIdevice 112 may display the process section neighboring the viewedprocess section 402 from below in the full view mode. If the alternateuser input is received at user control 408, the UI device 112 maydisplay the process section neighboring the viewed process section 402from below in the preview mode.

Moreover, if the user input is received at user control 410, the UIdevice 112 may display the process section neighboring the viewedprocess section 402 to the left in the full view mode. If the alternateuser input is received at user control 410, the UI device 112 maydisplay the process section neighboring the viewed process section 402to the left in the preview mode.

While the user controls 404-410 are represented as arrows in the screendisplay 400, this is merely one exemplary embodiment. The user controls404-410 may not be visible on the screen display 400 or may berepresented as circles, dots, or in any other suitable manner on thescreen display 400.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example search window 420 which may overlay theviewed process section (not shown), and includes a search box 422 andsearch results 424-428, some or all of which include previewed processsections 430, 432 corresponding to the process sections in the searchresults. The viewed and previewed process sections may be the viewed andpreviewed process sections 202, 262 presented in FIGS. 2A-2D or may beany other process sections. In one embodiment, the previewed processsections 430, 432 may be of a scaled-down of, or lower resolution than,the previewed process sections 202, 262 and/or of a lower resolutionthan the viewed process section. For instance, the previewed processsections 430, 432 may show only the major components of the otherprocess sections, leaving out some of the more minor details that wouldbe shown in the full view of the other process sections. As an example,the full view section of FIG. 2D may be displayed as a preview sectionin the search results as an icon for the tower top and valves, but notthe text, trend graphs, connection lines, etc.

For example, the control unit 44 may detect that a user is engaging in asearch for another process section based on an entry of a query into thesearch box 422 (e.g., in response to a user double tap, a double clickof a mouse, a tap and hold, a click and hold, typing, etc., in thesearch box 422). The control unit 44 may display results from the searchunder the search box 422 or in any other appropriate area of the displayof the viewed area. For each search item 424-428 resulting from thesearch, the control unit 44 may scale down the previewed process section430, 432, so as to fit in the search results 430, 432 in a manner thatconveys the substance of the previewed process sections. In otherembodiments, the server 150 may identify a location for placing thesearch results 424-428 with the screen display.

In any event, the control unit 44 may present the previewed processsections 430, 432 within the search results 424-428. As mentioned above,the previewed process sections 430, 432 may be scaled down to fit thesearch results, taking into account the number of search results (e.g.,more search results causes further scaling down of the previewed processsections so as to present all search results on the display screen).

In yet other embodiments, process plant entities, process parameters,alarms, off-sheet connectors, etc. for the previewed process sections430, 432, may be prioritized in a similar manner as described above. Theprocess plant entities, process parameters, alarms, off-sheetconnectors, etc. which are ranked above a threshold ranking may not bescaled down whereas the rest of the process plant entities, processparameters, alarms, off-sheet connectors, etc. may be scaled down. Inanother example, only the process plant entities, process parameters,alarms, off-sheet connectors, etc. which are ranked above a thresholdranking and/or priority level may be included in the search results424-428. As fewer search results are displayed, process plant entities,process parameters, alarms, off-sheet connectors, etc. may fit withinthe previews 430, 432, and, as a result, the threshold ranking and/orpriority level may be lower. In yet another example, a previewed processsection having an alert or alarm may be highlighted as compared to theother search results, such as by having an animation, color, brightness,etc. different than the other search results so as to draw attention toit.

While the search window 420 includes one window and three search results424-428, two of which include previews 430, 432, this is merely for easeof illustration only. Any number of windows 420 may display any numberof search results and/or any number of previewed process sections. Inanother example, the search window 420 may include multiple windowswhich display search results individually or according to groupings suchas common hierarchy or relevance.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example screen display 440 in a preview modedepicting a viewed process section 442 and a window 444 overlaying theviewed process section 442 and including previewed process section 446a-446 d which presents live data from the process plant 10. In thisembodiment, the previewed process sections 446 a-446 d are presented aspreviews of “breadcrumbs” in a navigation bar 448. In particular, thenavigation bar 448 depicts a navigation trail of a hierarchicalstructure of the process plant. For example, as seen in FIG. 6, theviewed process section 442 is of a “1^(st) Stage Reactor.” Thenavigation bar 448 shows that the navigation trail “breadcrumbs”includes “1^(st) Stage” and “Plant Overview,” each of which represents aprocess section at a higher level of hierarchy in the structure of theprocess plant 10. In response to receiving one type of user input at abreadcrumb 450 in the navigation bar 448, such as a hover, a double tap,a double click of a mouse, a tap and hold, a click and hold, etc., theUI device 112 may present the other process sections in a preview mode.For example, in response to hovering a cursor over the “Plant Overview”breadcrumb 450, the UI device 112 presents a preview 446 a-446 d of allprocess sections a lower level in the hierarchical structure of theplant 10, inclusive of a preview of the “1^(st) Stage” process section446 a. Thus, a user may navigate to another process section that is notnecessarily adjacent to the viewed process section 442, but within thehierarchical structure of the navigation trail that led to the viewedprocess section 442. In some embodiments, the UI device 112 and morespecifically the control unit 44 may select an empty portion of screendisplay 440 for placing the window 444 so as not to obscure any processplant entities, process parameters, alarms, off-sheet connectors, etc.,on the viewed process section 442. In another embodiment, the UI device112 and control unit 44 may present the window 444 below the selectednavigation “breadcrumb” and overlay parts of the viewed process section442.

For example, the control unit 44 may determine the size of the area forthe window 444. Then the control unit 44 may locate an area on thescreen display 440 proximate the selected navigation “breadcrumb.” Ifthe preview process sections 446 a-446 d are too numerous for the window444, the control unit 44 may scale down the preview process sections 446a-446 d until there is enough empty space to place them all in thewindow 444. In another example, process plant entities, processparameters, alarms, off-sheet connectors, etc., for the previewedprocess sections 446 a-446 b may be prioritized in a similar manner asdescribed above. In yet another example, a previewed process section 446a having an alert or alarm may be highlighted as compared to the othersearch results, such as by having an animation, color, brightness, etc.different than the other search results so as to draw attention to it.

In any event, the control unit 44 may present the previewed processsections 446 a-446 d within the window 444. In some embodiments, aportion of the previewed process sections 446 a-446 d may be displayedto fit within the window 444. In other embodiments, the previewedprocess sections 446 a-446 d may be scaled down to fit within the window444.

In yet other embodiments, process plant entities, process parameters,alarms, off-sheet connectors, etc., for the previewed process sections446 a-446 d may be prioritized in a similar manner as described above.The process plant entities, process parameters, alarms, off-sheetconnectors, etc., which are ranked above a threshold ranking may not bescaled down whereas the rest of the process plant entities, processparameters, alarms, off-sheet connectors, etc., may be scaled down. Inanother example, only the process plant entities, process parameters,alarms, off-sheet connectors, etc., which are ranked above a thresholdranking and/or priority level may be included in the window 444. Thethreshold ranking and/or priority level may be determined in accordancewith the size of the window 444. As the size of the window 444 increasesmore process plant entities, process parameters, alarms, off-sheetconnectors, etc., may fit within the window 444, and as a result thethreshold ranking and/or priority level may be lower.

While the screen display 440 includes one window 444 which displayspreviewed process section 446 a-446 d for one navigation “breadcrumb,”this is merely for ease of illustration only. Any number of windows 444may display any number of previewed process sections. For example, thescreen display 440 may include windows which display previews for theupstream hierarchical process sections of the viewed process section442.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example screen display 460 in a preview modedepicting a viewed process section 462 and a window 464 overlaying theviewed process section 462 which presents live data from the processplant 10. The off-sheet connector 466 includes an indication of aconnection to another process section H2 PROD. In some embodiments, theoff-sheet connector 466 may receive user input from the operator andbased on the user input, the UI device 112 may display the H2 PRODprocess section in a full view mode or a preview mode. For example, if auser input is received at the off-sheet connector 466, such as a doubletap, a double click of a mouse, a tap and hold, a click and hold, etc.,the UI device 112 may display the H2 PROD process section in a full viewmode, as described in more detail above with FIGS. 2A-2D. If analternate user input is received at the off-sheet connector 466, such asa tap, a single click, a slide, a click and drag, a mouse hover, etc.,the UI device 112 may display the status of the H2 PROD process sectionin a preview mode.

In some embodiments, the UI device 112 and more specifically the controlunit 44 may select an empty portion of screen display 460 for placingthe window 464 so as not to obscure any process plant entities, processparameters, alarms, off-sheet connectors, etc., on the viewed processsection 462. In another embodiment, the UI device 112 and control unit44 may present the window 464 proximate the selected off-sheet connector466.

In this example, process section previews 468, alarms 470, alerts 472,etc., for the previewed process section status 464 may be prioritized ina similar manner as described above. In yet another example, a previewedprocess section status 464 having an alert 472 or alarm 470 may behighlighted as compared to the other search results, such as by havingan animation, color, brightness, etc. different than the other searchresults so as to draw attention to it. The number of alerts, alarms,etc. may also be indicated.

In any event, the control unit 44 may present the previewed processsection status within the window 464. In some embodiments, a portion ofthe previewed process section status, such as the process sectionpreview 468, alarms 470, alerts 472, may be displayed to fit within thewindow 464. In other embodiments, the previewed process section statusmay be scaled down to fit within the window 464.

While the screen display 460 includes one window 464 which displayspreviewed process section statuses 468-472 for one off-sheet connector466, this is merely for ease of illustration only. Any number of windows464 may display any number of previewed process section statuses orpreviewed process sections.

FIG. 8 depicts a flow diagram representing an exemplary method 500 forpreviewing process sections in a process plant. The method 500 may beexecuted on the UI device 112. In some embodiments, the method 500 maybe implemented in a set of instructions stored on a non-transitorycomputer-readable memory and executable by one or more processors of theUI device 112. For example, the method 500 may be performed by thecontrol unit 44 as shown in FIG. 1B.

At block 502, the UI device 112 may present (i.e., display or render) aprocess section depicting several process plant entities on a processplant display, such as the screen display 200 as shown in FIG. 2A. Theprocess section may include graphic representations of process plantentities, connections between the process plant entities, processparameter values, and alarms. In some embodiments, the process parametervalues may represent live data of actual measurements and set pointswithin the on-line process plant.

Additionally, the UI device 112 may provide a user control for selectinganother process section to view in a preview mode or a full view mode(block 504), such as the off-sheet connector 204, as shown in FIG. 2A.The user control may include an indication of a connection to anotherprocess section, such as “Tower Top.” In response to receiving one typeof user input at the user control, such as a double tap, a double clickof a mouse, a tap and hold, a click and hold, etc., the UI device 112may present the other process section in a full view mode. In responseto receiving another type of user input at the user control, such as atap, a single click, a slide, a click and drag, a mouse hover, etc., theUI device 112 may present the other process section in a preview mode.

At block 506, the UI device 112 may receive user input (such as a tap, asingle click, a slide, a click and drag, a mouse hover, etc.) indicatinga request to display the other process section in a preview mode.Accordingly, the UI device 112 may present (e.g., render) the processsection (“viewed process section”) and the other process section(“previewed process section”) in a preview mode on the process plantdisplay (block 508), such as the screen display 260 as shown in FIG. 2B.The process sections may be presented side-by-side with an intersectionbetween the process sections, such as the intersection 284 as shown inFIG. 2B. In other embodiments, the process sections or process sectionstatus may be displayed in separate windows. For example, the previewedprocess section or status of the previewed process section may bedisplayed in a window overlaying the viewed process section, such as inthe screen display 300 as shown in FIG. 3, the screen display ### asshown in FIG. 6 or the screen display ### as shown in FIG. 7. In someembodiments, the window containing the previewed process section orpreviewed process section status may be smaller than the windowcontaining the viewed process section. Additionally, the windowcontaining the previewed process section or previewed process sectionstatus may be placed so as not to obscure any process plant entities,process parameters, alarms, off-sheet connectors, etc., on the viewedprocess section.

In an addition embodiment, the user input indicating a request todisplay another process section in a preview mode at block 506 may bereceived in the form of a request for a search. For example, a user maysearch for another process section, and a resulting list of searchresults may each include a preview of the process sections in the searchresults. Accordingly, the UI device 112 may present (e.g., render) oneor more process section (“viewed process section”) and the other processsection(s) (“previewed process section(s)”) in a preview mode on theprocess plant display (block 508), such as the search display 420 asshown in FIG. 5.

Optionally (e.g., in some embodiments), each of the process sections maybe assigned a priority level (block 510). For example, the previewedprocess section may be assigned a higher priority level than the viewedprocess section as in the screen display shown in FIG. 6, the viewedprocess section may be assigned a higher priority level than thepreviewed process section, the operator may select one of the processsections which may be assigned a higher priority level, or the prioritylevels may be assigned in any other suitable manner. In yet anotherexample, a summary of alerts, alarms, etc. may be displayed as a statusof previewed process section as in the screen display shown in FIG. 7.In any event, process parameter values may be adjustable for the processsection assigned a higher priority level, while process parameter valuesmay not be adjustable for the other process section. In otherembodiments, process parameter values may not be adjustable for eitherprocess section in the preview mode or may be adjustable for bothprocess sections in the preview mode.

Also optionally (e.g., in embodiments where process parameter values areadjustable), at block 512, the UI device 112 may receive user inputindicating a request to adjust a process parameter value for a processsection which is adjustable in the preview mode. For example, theoperator may perform various touch gestures or mouse clicks on a graphicrepresentation of a process plant entity in the process section toadjust a process parameter value for the process plant entity. Morespecifically, the operator may perform a drag gesture or a click anddrag to adjust a tank level value for a tank or a temperature settingfor a heat exchanger, may perform a rotate gesture to adjust the speedof a pump, may perform pinch and spread gestures to adjust the valveopening percentage of a valve, may type in a new or adjusted processparameter value, etc.

In response to receiving the user input, the UI device 112 and morespecifically, the control unit 44 may adjust the process parameter valueduring on-line operation of the process plant (block 514). For example,the control unit 14 may provide instructions to the controllers 11 asshown in FIG. 1A to adjust the process parameter value in the processplant. In another example, the control unit 44 may communicate theadjusted process parameter value to the server 150 as shown in FIG. 1Awhich may provide instructions to the controllers 11 to adjust theprocess parameter value in the process plant. The controllers 11 may inturn, communicate with the field devices 15-22, 40-46 as shown in FIG.1A to adjust the process parameter value in the process plant.

At block 516, the UI device 112 may receive user input indicating arequest to exit preview mode and to display the viewed process sectionor the previewed process section in the full view mode. For example, theoperator may select one of the process sections to display in the fullview mode by tapping, clicking, double tapping, double clicking, etc.,on the portion of the process plant display that corresponds to thedesired process section for display in the full view mode. For example,if the operator wants to display the previewed process section in thefull view mode, the operator may double tap or double click on portionof the process plant display that includes the previewed processsection.

Then, at block 518, the selected process section may then be displayedin the full view mode on the process plant display, and to exit previewmode, such as the screen display 290 as shown in FIG. 2D. The full viewmode may include the entire process section on the process plant displayrather than a portion or scaled down version of the process section, asin the preview mode described above.

Embodiments of the techniques described in the present disclosure mayinclude any number of the following aspects, either alone orcombination:

A method for viewing a process section in a process plant whilesimultaneously viewing a previous of another process section, the methodcomprising: presenting, by one or more processors on a process plantdisplay, a process section depicting a portion of a process plantincluding graphic representations of a plurality of process plantentities within the process plant; providing, by the one or moreprocessors on the process plant display, a navigation tool to navigateto another portion of the process plant; receiving, at the one or moreprocessors via the navigation tool, an indication to navigate to anotherportion of the process plant; and presenting, by the one or moreprocessors on the process plant display, at least a portion of theprocess section while simultaneously presenting a preview of one or moreother process sections in response to the indication to navigate toanother portion of the process plant.

2. The method according to aspect 1, wherein the navigation toolcomprises a navigational bar depicting a navigation trail of a hierarchyof the portion of the process plant in relation to a structure of theprocess control plant.

3. The method according to any one of the preceding aspects, wherein theindication to navigate to another portion of the process plant comprisesan indication to navigate to a different level of hierarchy in thenavigation trail, and wherein presenting the preview of one or moreother process sections in response to the indication to navigatecomprises presenting, by the one or more processors on the process plantdisplay, a preview of one or more other process sections at thedifferent level of hierarchy.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding aspects, wherein theindication to navigate comprises a graphical intersection of a selectiontool with the navigational tool.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding aspects, wherein theindication to navigate comprises placing the selection tool over agraphical depiction of the navigation tool for a threshold amount oftime.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding aspects, wherein theindication to navigate comprises a selection of the navigation tool withthe selection tool.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding aspects, wherein thenavigation tool comprises a list of one or more items, each itemcorresponding to another portion of the process plant and each itemcomprising a preview of the corresponding other portion of the processplant.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding aspects, wherein thenavigation tool comprises a search tool that returns result items inresponse to the indication to navigate, each result item correspondingto another portion of the process plant and each result item comprisinga preview of the corresponding other portion of the process plant.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding aspects, whereinpresenting at least a portion of the process section comprisespresenting, by the one or more processors on the process plant display,a preview of the one or more other process sections in a lowerresolution than the resolution of the portion of the process section.

10. The method according to any one of the preceding aspects, whereinpresenting at least a portion of the process section comprisespresenting, by the one or more processors on the process plant display,a preview of an alert within at least one of the one or more otherprocess sections.

11. The method according to any one of the preceding aspects, furthercomprising: upon presenting the preview of the one or more other processsections on the process plant display, receiving, at the one or moreprocessors via the navigation tool, input from a user requesting a fullview of one of the one or more other process sections; and presenting,by the one or more processors on the process plant display, the fullview of the requested other process section including not presenting theprocess section.

12. A user interface device for viewing a process section in a processplant while simultaneously viewing a previous of another processsection, the user interface device including: a display screen; one ormore processors coupled to the display screen; and a non-transitorycomputer-readable medium coupled to the one or more processors andstoring instructions thereon, that when executed by the one or moreprocessors, cause the user interface device to: presenting, via thedisplay screen, a process section depicting a portion of a process plantincluding graphic representations of a plurality of process plantentities within the process plant; provide a navigation tool to navigateto another portion of the process plant; receive, via the navigationtool, an indication to navigate to another portion of the process plant;and present, via the display screen, at least a portion of the processsection while simultaneously presenting a preview of one or more otherprocess sections in response to the indication to navigate to anotherportion of the process plant.

13. The user interface device according to aspect 12, wherein thenavigation tool comprises a navigational bar depicting a navigationtrail of a hierarchy of the portion of the process plant in relation toa structure of the process control plant.

14. The user interface device according to either one of aspect 12 oraspect 13, wherein the indication to navigate to another portion of theprocess plant comprises an indication to navigate to a different levelof hierarchy in the navigation trail, and wherein the instructionsfurther cause the user interface device to present the preview of one ormore other process sections in response to the indication to navigatecomprise wherein the instructions further cause the user interfacedevice to present, via the display screen, a preview of one or moreother process sections at the different level of hierarchy.

15. The user interface device according to any one of aspects 12-14,wherein the indication to navigate comprises a graphical intersection ofa selection tool with the navigational tool.

16. The user interface device according to any one of aspects 12-15,wherein the indication to navigate comprises a placement of theselection tool over a graphical depiction of the navigation tool for athreshold amount of time.

17. The user interface device according to any one of aspects 12-16,wherein the indication to navigate comprises a selection of thenavigation tool with the selection tool.

18. The user interface device according to any one of aspects 12-17,wherein the navigation tool comprises a list of one or more items, eachitem corresponding to another portion of the process plant and each itemcomprising a preview of the corresponding other portion of the processplant.

19. The user interface device according to any one of aspects 12-18,wherein the navigation tool comprises a search tool that returns resultitems in response to the indication to navigate, each result itemcorresponding to another portion of the process plant and each resultitem comprising a preview of the corresponding other portion of theprocess plant.

20. The user interface device according to any one of aspects 12-19,wherein the instructions further cause the user interface device topresent, via the display screen, a preview of the one or more otherprocess sections in a lower resolution than the resolution of theportion of the process section.

21. The user interface device according to any one of aspects 12-20,wherein the instructions further cause the user interface device topresent, via the display screen, a preview of an alert within at leastone of the one or more other process sections.

22. The user interface device according to any one of aspects 12-21,wherein the instructions further cause the user interface device to:upon presenting the preview of the one or more other process sectionsvia the display screen, receive input from a user requesting a full viewof one of the one or more other process sections; and present, via thedisplay screen, the full view of the requested other process sectionincluding not presenting the process section.

Additionally, the previous aspects of the disclosure are exemplary onlyand not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure.

The following additional considerations apply to the foregoingdiscussion. Throughout this specification, actions described asperformed by any device or routine generally refer to actions orprocesses of a processor manipulating or transforming data according tomachine-readable instructions. The machine-readable instructions may bestored on and retrieved from a memory device communicatively coupled tothe processor. That is, methods described herein may be embodied by aset of machine-executable instructions stored on a computer readablemedium (i.e., on a memory device), such as illustrated in FIG. 1B. Theinstructions, when executed by one or more processors of a correspondingdevice (e.g., a server, a user interface device, etc.), cause theprocessors to execute the method. Where instructions, routines, modules,processes, services, programs, and/or applications are referred toherein as stored or saved on a computer readable memory or on a computerreadable medium, the words “stored” and “saved” are intended to excludetransitory signals.

Further, while the terms “operator,” “personnel,” “person,” “user,”“technician,” and like other terms are used to describe persons in theprocess plant environment that may use or interact with the systems,apparatus, and methods described herein, these terms are not intended tobe limiting. Where a particular term is used in the description, theterm is used, in part, because of the traditional activities in whichplant personnel engage, but is not intended to limit the personnel thatcould be engaging in that particular activity.

Additionally, throughout this specification, plural instances mayimplement components, operations, or structures described as a singleinstance. Although individual operations of one or more methods areillustrated and described as separate operations, one or more of theindividual operations may be performed concurrently, and nothingrequires that the operations be performed in the order illustrated.Structures and functionality presented as separate components in exampleconfigurations may be implemented as a combined structure or component.Similarly, structures and functionality presented as a single componentmay be implemented as separate components. These and other variations,modifications, additions, and improvements fall within the scope of thesubject matter herein.

Unless specifically stated otherwise, discussions herein using wordssuch as “processing,” “computing,” “calculating,” “determining,”“identifying,” “presenting,” “causing to be presented,” “causing to bedisplayed,” “displaying,” or the like may refer to actions or processesof a machine (e.g., a computer) that manipulates or transforms datarepresented as physical (e.g., electronic, magnetic, biological, oroptical) quantities within one or more memories (e.g., volatile memory,non-volatile memory, or a combination thereof), registers, or othermachine components that receive, store, transmit, or displayinformation.

When implemented in software, any of the applications, services, andengines described herein may be stored in any tangible, non-transitorycomputer readable memory such as on a magnetic disk, a laser disk, solidstate memory device, molecular memory storage device, or other storagemedium, in a RAM or ROM of a computer or processor, etc. Although theexample systems disclosed herein are disclosed as including, among othercomponents, software and/or firmware executed on hardware, it should benoted that such systems are merely illustrative and should not beconsidered as limiting. For example, it is contemplated that any or allof these hardware, software, and firmware components could be embodiedexclusively in hardware, exclusively in software, or in any combinationof hardware and software. Accordingly, persons of ordinary skill in theart will readily appreciate that the examples provided are not the onlyway to implement such systems.

Thus, while the present invention has been described with reference tospecific examples, which are intended to be illustrative only and not tobe limiting of the invention, it will be apparent to those of ordinaryskill in the art that changes, additions or deletions may be made to thedisclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

It should also be understood that, unless a term is expressly defined inthis patent using the sentence “As used herein, the term ‘_____’ ishereby defined to mean . . . ” or a similar sentence, there is no intentto limit the meaning of that term, either expressly or by implication,beyond its plain or ordinary meaning, and such term should not beinterpreted to be limited in scope based on any statement made in anysection of this patent (other than the language of the claims). To theextent that any term recited in the claims at the end of this patent isreferred to in this patent in a manner consistent with a single meaning,that is done for sake of clarity only so as to not confuse the reader,and it is not intended that such claim term be limited, by implicationor otherwise, to that single meaning. Finally, unless a claim element isdefined by reciting the word “means” and a function without the recitalof any structure, it is not intended that the scope of any claim elementbe interpreted based on the application of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) and/orpre-AIA 35 U.S.C. § 112, sixth paragraph.

Moreover, although the foregoing text sets forth a detailed descriptionof numerous different embodiments, it should be understood that thescope of the patent is defined by the words of the claims set forth atthe end of this patent. The detailed description is to be construed asexemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment becausedescribing every possible embodiment would be impractical, if notimpossible. Numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented, usingeither current technology or technology developed after the filing dateof this patent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for viewing a process section in aprocess plant while simultaneously viewing a previous of another processsection, the method comprising: presenting, by one or more processors ona process plant display, a process section depicting a portion of aprocess plant including graphic representations of a plurality ofprocess plant entities within the process plant; providing, by the oneor more processors on the process plant display, a navigation tool tonavigate to another portion of the process plant; receiving, at the oneor more processors via the navigation tool, an indication to navigate toanother portion of the process plant; and presenting, by the one or moreprocessors on the process plant display, at least a portion of theprocess section while simultaneously presenting a preview of one or moreother process sections in response to the indication to navigate toanother portion of the process plant.
 2. The method of claim 1, whereinthe navigation tool comprises a navigational bar depicting a navigationtrail of a hierarchy of the portion of the process plant in relation toa structure of the process control plant.
 3. The method of claim 2,wherein the indication to navigate to another portion of the processplant comprises an indication to navigate to a different level ofhierarchy in the navigation trail, and wherein presenting the preview ofone or more other process sections in response to the indication tonavigate comprises presenting, by the one or more processors on theprocess plant display, a preview of one or more other process sectionsat the different level of hierarchy.
 4. The method of claim 1, whereinthe indication to navigate comprises a graphical intersection of aselection tool with the navigational tool.
 5. The method of claim 4,wherein the indication to navigate comprises placing the selection toolover a graphical depiction of the navigation tool for a threshold amountof time.
 6. The method of claim 4, wherein the indication to navigatecomprises a selection of the navigation tool with the selection tool. 7.The method of claim 1, wherein the navigation tool comprises a list ofone or more items, each item corresponding to another portion of theprocess plant and each item comprising a preview of the correspondingother portion of the process plant.
 8. The method of claim 1, whereinthe navigation tool comprises a search tool that returns result items inresponse to the indication to navigate, each result item correspondingto another portion of the process plant and each result item comprisinga preview of the corresponding other portion of the process plant. 9.The method of claim 1, wherein presenting at least a portion of theprocess section comprises presenting, by the one or more processors onthe process plant display, a preview of the one or more other processsections in a lower resolution than the resolution of the portion of theprocess section.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting at leasta portion of the process section comprises presenting, by the one ormore processors on the process plant display, a preview of an alertwithin at least one of the one or more other process sections.
 11. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: upon presenting the preview ofthe one or more other process sections on the process plant display,receiving, at the one or more processors via the navigation tool, inputfrom a user requesting a full view of one of the one or more otherprocess sections; and presenting, by the one or more processors on theprocess plant display, the full view of the requested other processsection including not presenting the process section.
 12. A userinterface device for viewing a process section in a process plant whilesimultaneously viewing a previous of another process section, the userinterface device including: a display screen; one or more processorscoupled to the display screen; and a non-transitory computer-readablemedium coupled to the one or more processors and storing instructionsthereon, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause theuser interface device to: presenting, via the display screen, a processsection depicting a portion of a process plant including graphicrepresentations of a plurality of process plant entities within theprocess plant; provide a navigation tool to navigate to another portionof the process plant; receive, via the navigation tool, an indication tonavigate to another portion of the process plant; and present, via thedisplay screen, at least a portion of the process section whilesimultaneously presenting a preview of one or more other processsections in response to the indication to navigate to another portion ofthe process plant.
 13. The user interface device of claim 12, whereinthe navigation tool comprises a navigational bar depicting a navigationtrail of a hierarchy of the portion of the process plant in relation toa structure of the process control plant.
 14. The user interface deviceof claim 13, wherein the indication to navigate to another portion ofthe process plant comprises an indication to navigate to a differentlevel of hierarchy in the navigation trail, and wherein the instructionsfurther cause the user interface device to present the preview of one ormore other process sections in response to the indication to navigatecomprise wherein the instructions further cause the user interfacedevice to present, via the display screen, a preview of one or moreother process sections at the different level of hierarchy.
 15. The userinterface device of claim 13, wherein the indication to navigatecomprises a graphical intersection of a selection tool with thenavigational tool.
 16. The user interface device of claim 15, whereinthe indication to navigate comprises a placement of the selection toolover a graphical depiction of the navigation tool for a threshold amountof time.
 17. The user interface device of claim 15, wherein theindication to navigate comprises a selection of the navigation tool withthe selection tool.
 18. The user interface device of claim 13, whereinthe navigation tool comprises a list of one or more items, each itemcorresponding to another portion of the process plant and each itemcomprising a preview of the corresponding other portion of the processplant.
 19. The user interface device of claim 13, wherein the navigationtool comprises a search tool that returns result items in response tothe indication to navigate, each result item corresponding to anotherportion of the process plant and each result item comprising a previewof the corresponding other portion of the process plant.
 20. The userinterface device of claim 13, wherein the instructions further cause theuser interface device to present, via the display screen, a preview ofthe one or more other process sections in a lower resolution than theresolution of the portion of the process section.
 21. The user interfacedevice of claim 13, wherein the instructions further cause the userinterface device to present, via the display screen, a preview of analert within at least one of the one or more other process sections. 22.The user interface device of claim 13, wherein the instructions furthercause the user interface device to: upon presenting the preview of theone or more other process sections via the display screen, receive inputfrom a user requesting a full view of one of the one or more otherprocess sections; and present, via the display screen, the full view ofthe requested other process section including not presenting the processsection.